Closing Date: 30th September, 2026
Description:
Summary:The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia (DC) is unique in the size and the scope of its work. It serves as both the local and the federal prosecutor for the nation's capital. On the local side, AUSAs assigned to the Superior Court Division prosecute cases ranging from misdemeanors to homicides. On the federal side, AUSAs assigned to the Criminal Division prosecute federal crimes. The Civil Division further advances the interests of the U.S. in civil suits brought in the DC.
Duties:
The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia is accepting applications for highly motivated attorneys to serve as Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) working on Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE) matters in the Office's Civil Division.
ACE AUSAs investigate and bring affirmative civil actions on behalf of the United States. These matters often involve potential violations of the False Claims Act with respect to health care fraud, government contract or procurement fraud, cybersecurity fraud, and grant fraud. These matters can also involve enforcement of administrative civil penalties, administrative subpoenas, immigration laws, conflict of interest laws, civil rights laws, civil asset forfeiture, and other affirmative civil litigation on behalf of the United States.
This AUSA will work closely with other divisions of DOJ and federal law enforcement agencies and may be required to coordinate with criminal AUSAs and/or state prosecutors. Many False Claims Act cases are brought through qui tam actions, in which AUSAs work with whistleblowers and their counsel from case inception through trial.
Job duties include independently overseeing investigations, preparing subpoenas, interviewing witnesses, marshaling evidence, coordinating with law enforcement, negotiating settlements, conducting legal research, drafting legal memoranda, preparing and answering written discovery, taking and defending depositions or examinations, and representing the United States at trial and on appeal.
There are also opportunities for ACE AUSAs who express interest to be staffed on civil cases defending the United States in order to gain further trial experience and appellate experience, including oral argument at the D.C. Circuit.
Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.
As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.
Residency Requirements: Assistant United States Attorneys generally must reside in the district to which he or she is appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district-specific information.
Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov.
Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:
Qualifications:
Required Qualifications:
Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree (or equivalent), be an active member in good standing of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and have at least one year post J.D. (or equivalent) legal or other relevant experience. A minimum of three years of post J.D. (or equivalent) legal or other relevant experience is required.
United States citizenship is required.
Preferred Qualifications:
Applicants must have significant litigation experience, superior oral communication skills, and a demonstrated capacity to independently move multiple investigations or litigation forward simultaneously.
You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Education:
Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree
Additional Information:
Salary Information: Assistant United States Attorney's pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number of years of professional attorney experience. The range of basic pay is $70,442 to $171,487 or $94,350 to $197,100 which includes 33.94% locality pay.
Other Benefits: The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; telework; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. The Benefits link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to Federal Employees.
Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses will not be authorized.
ACE AUSAs investigate and bring affirmative civil actions on behalf of the United States. These matters often involve potential violations of the False Claims Act with respect to health care fraud, government contract or procurement fraud, cybersecurity fraud, and grant fraud. These matters can also involve enforcement of administrative civil penalties, administrative subpoenas, immigration laws, conflict of interest laws, civil rights laws, civil asset forfeiture, and other affirmative civil litigation on behalf of the United States.
This AUSA will work closely with other divisions of DOJ and federal law enforcement agencies and may be required to coordinate with criminal AUSAs and/or state prosecutors. Many False Claims Act cases are brought through qui tam actions, in which AUSAs work with whistleblowers and their counsel from case inception through trial.
Job duties include independently overseeing investigations, preparing subpoenas, interviewing witnesses, marshaling evidence, coordinating with law enforcement, negotiating settlements, conducting legal research, drafting legal memoranda, preparing and answering written discovery, taking and defending depositions or examinations, and representing the United States at trial and on appeal.
There are also opportunities for ACE AUSAs who express interest to be staffed on civil cases defending the United States in order to gain further trial experience and appellate experience, including oral argument at the D.C. Circuit.
Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.
As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.
Residency Requirements: Assistant United States Attorneys generally must reside in the district to which he or she is appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district-specific information.
Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov.
Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:
- You must be a United States Citizen or National.
- Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
- You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
- J.D. degree and active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction) required.
- Must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.
- Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance with eligibility for Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) access depending on organizational assignment / duty location.
Qualifications:
Required Qualifications:
Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree (or equivalent), be an active member in good standing of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and have at least one year post J.D. (or equivalent) legal or other relevant experience. A minimum of three years of post J.D. (or equivalent) legal or other relevant experience is required.
United States citizenship is required.
Preferred Qualifications:
Applicants must have significant litigation experience, superior oral communication skills, and a demonstrated capacity to independently move multiple investigations or litigation forward simultaneously.
You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Education:
Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree
Additional Information:
Salary Information: Assistant United States Attorney's pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number of years of professional attorney experience. The range of basic pay is $70,442 to $171,487 or $94,350 to $197,100 which includes 33.94% locality pay.
Other Benefits: The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; telework; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. The Benefits link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to Federal Employees.
Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses will not be authorized.
This and other vacancy announcements can be found under Attorney Vacancies (http://www.justice.gov/legal-careers/attorneys-vacancies) and Volunteer Legal Internships (http://www.justice.gov/legal-careers/volunteer-internship-opportunities). The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information.
Travel: Occasional travel.
Applicants should familiarize themselves and comply with the relevant rules of professional conduct regarding any possible conflicts of interest in connection with their applications. In particular, please notify this Office if you currently represent clients or adjudicate matters in which this Office is involved and/or you have a family member who is representing clients or adjudicating matters in which this Office is involved so that we can evaluate any potential conflict of interest or disqualification issue that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.
Security Requirements: Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. Failure to obtain a favorable adjudication from the background investigation process could result in your removal from federal service. Once you have been converted to a permanent position, you will be subject to a two-year probationary period. Failure to successfully perform during this probationary period could result in your removal from federal service.
EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. More information can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/media/1425556/dl?inline.
Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: Unless otherwise required by law, the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits employees of the U.S. Department of Justice or a federal contractor acting on its behalf from inquiring about an applicant's criminal history record, either in writing or orally, before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to the hiring office using the contact information listed in the announcement.
Additional Information:
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits:
Travel: Occasional travel.
Applicants should familiarize themselves and comply with the relevant rules of professional conduct regarding any possible conflicts of interest in connection with their applications. In particular, please notify this Office if you currently represent clients or adjudicate matters in which this Office is involved and/or you have a family member who is representing clients or adjudicating matters in which this Office is involved so that we can evaluate any potential conflict of interest or disqualification issue that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.
Security Requirements: Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. Failure to obtain a favorable adjudication from the background investigation process could result in your removal from federal service. Once you have been converted to a permanent position, you will be subject to a two-year probationary period. Failure to successfully perform during this probationary period could result in your removal from federal service.
EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. More information can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/media/1425556/dl?inline.
Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: Unless otherwise required by law, the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits employees of the U.S. Department of Justice or a federal contractor acting on its behalf from inquiring about an applicant's criminal history record, either in writing or orally, before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to the hiring office using the contact information listed in the announcement.
Additional Information:
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits:
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and
